In the late 1980s, I was embarking on a low-cost journey to the European continent with a travel partner. Because my travel mate was interested in starting a postgraduate program in NYC, we had planned a two-week stay there on the way to London.
We reached the graduate housing, a large 10-storey building on the Upper West Side called International House. Once we unpacked, we went directly to the dining hall, where we grabbed food, found a table, and started talking to other diners.
Beside me was an gentleman from Iraq pursuing an engineering degree at an Ivy League institution. He inquired what I my profession was, and I shared that I had just graduated with a scientific background and had been performing experiments involving microscopic analysis.
He mentioned that there was an electron microscope unit at the institution – close to the school of engineering, which was why he was aware of it. He recommended that I should apply for a role with them. I chuckled at the suggestion, telling him that I was about to fly to Europe and, more critically, I did not possess a US visa.
A day later I went out exploring, going back to the cafeteria that evening. The man from Iraq came up to me and informed me that he had organized a discussion for me with the leader of the research team at Columbia. Given that he had taken the effort, I went to the meeting – but straight off explained to my prospective employer that I lacked the necessary visa, so I was likely not a suitable candidate.
Reflecting the city's spirit – a city where everything seems achievable – she responded: “We can make that happen. What's your start date?” I missed my plane to London.
I was employed there for three years. A perk of the job was that I also received free tuition at Columbia, and I used the opportunity to earn a graduate degree in global studies.
We didn't cross paths after that and I don’t even know his identity, but his remarkable generosity altered my destiny in numerous aspects. I didn't possess the confidence or self-assurance to contact anyone at an prestigious college and request employment. Moreover, I had consistently hoped to study abroad, but could never have afforded it without that free tuition.
What's more, that gig at Columbia led me to a job in Zurich where I met my handsome spouse from France, with whom I now have a family of four kids. This was a pivotal life event. That benevolent individual redirected my path in life, and I’m eternally thankful.
What is the Most Generous Act a Unknown Person Has Once Performed for You?
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